Favorite Sports Broadcasters

[HedleyLamarr]

ESPN's Brad Nessler, even if he is a former Tech radio announcer.

[Dexter Morgan]

I grew up with Phil Rizzuto and Bill White, so I have to say them.

Current, has got to be Gus Johnson, Marv Albert, and Doc Emrick.

I also get a kick out of John Sterling.

[pmoehrin]

Baseball: Vin Scully

Basketball: Marv Albert

Football: Gus Johnson

Hockey: Gary Thorne

All-around: Bob Costas

Out of those five my personal favorite is Vin Scully with Costas coming in a close second. Its amzing to think that its possible for somebody to have lived a full life as a Dodger fan and died with Vin Scully being the announcer for the team. Even now he still slips up every now and again but he's still got it. As long as his mind is still there that job is his for as long as he wants it. He's slowed down a bit, won't go on any road trips that take him outside the west coast, but so what? I think after 60 years on the job and being argubly the best ever at it you've earned the right to set your own schedule.

I have the MLB Extra Innings package and will watch Dodger games sometimes just to listen to him. He's the only announcer I'll do that with.

As far as the Joe Buck comment earlier, I heard him call a Cardinal game one time when he wasn't on Fox and it was like listening to a totally different announcer. I think it may have something to do with the way Fox produces their broadcasts and I associate the blame more with them then him. I've noticed that almost anyone that does a Fox game doesen't sound great.

I'm also noticing ESPN falling into a similar trap as well. I just think they like having the ability the interchange their announcers and not have anyone complain. I think its specifically why they hardly let Berman call baseball anymore.

[missouri tigers]

Brian Collins (Boom goes the dynamite guy)

[TFoA]

Scully, Doc Emrick, Gus, & Wes Durham.

[MadmanLA]

I've always thought that Jon Miller and Joe Angel sound pretty much alike, moreso Angel sounds like a drunk version of Miller. I actually like Jon Miller.

Ralph Lawler with the Clippers is one of my all-time favorite play-by-play guys. Even as a Clipper fan, I believe he's gotten a bit homerish in recent years but still calls a great broadcast. I actually like him more on radio than on TV, but since every Clipper game is locally-televised, he's exclusively on TV.

Chick Hearn was also a favorite of mine, and although no one expects anyone to truly replace him, the current broadcasters on radio (Spero Dedes and Mychal Thompson) and TV (Joel "Froggy" Meyers and the overrated Stu Lantz) are unlistenable. In the rare opportunity I listen to Laker games, however, I would rather listen to Dedes and Thompson as opposed to the TV guys.

Other PxP guys I enjoy: Greg Gumbel (I enjoy him and Dan Dierdorf better than Jim Nantz and Phil Simms on the NFL on CBS), Marv Albert, Dick Stockton, Kevin Calabro (it's too bad he doesn't have a full-time local NBA gig since the Sonics left), and Harry Kalas (I love him more for his NFL work than baseball).

Analysts: Darryl Johnston, Mike Fratello, Hubie Brown, Steve Stone (how he's stuck with a blatant homer like Ken Harrelson on White Sox TV is beyond belief), Jeff Van Gundy (I just love his quirkyness), and Cris Collinsworth.

[Dexter Morgan]

Michael Kay.

Ughhh he's the worst. Even as a Yankee fan, I say that. I relish the day's he's off and Kenny Singleton is doing the play by play.

"See ya!" ..that may be the worst Home Run Call in the game. Kenny's "This..one..is..GONE!" blows out it out of the water.

Also, as a Yankee fan, you have to admit the Mets broadcast teams is 10x better than the Yankees. Gary Cohen, Ron Darling, and Keith Hernandez are so good at what they do.

Yankees could learn from them and go with a set group of people. And stop mixing it up so often.

Find a new play-by-play guy with Kenny Singleton and Al Leiter doing the color commentator/game analyst

[Lights Out]

Ralph Lawler with the Clippers is one of my all-time favorite play-by-play guys. Even as a Clipper fan, I believe he's gotten a bit homerish in recent years but still calls a great broadcast. I actually like him more on radio than on TV, but since every Clipper game is locally-televised, he's exclusively on TV.

Nice to see Lawler getting more love in this thread. The energy and enthusiasm he brings to games is remarkable, especially when you consider that during lulls, there's no championships or storied history or retired numbers for him to blather about.

[pmoehrin]

Michael Kay.

Ughhh he's the worst. Even as a Yankee fan, I say that. I relish the day's he's off and Kenny Singleton is doing the play by play.

"See ya!" ..that may be the worst Home Run Call in the game. Kenny's "This..one..is..GONE!" blows out it out of the water.

I'm actually kinda surprised at the number of Yankee fans that don't like Michael Kay. I don't think he's that bad, but I can definately see why people would be turned off by him. Seems to be very self promoting alot of times.

[Kevin W.]

I'm probably going to get a lot of hate for this, but Hawk Harrelson. Best home run call in the business.

For soccer, Ian Darke is great.

[Dexter Morgan]

Kay's biggest problem is he calls a game like he's still on the radio and he's painfully repetitive.

[Saintsfan]

For soccer, Ian Darke is great.

Ian Darke is actually a great boxing commentator. He's a good soccer commentator, but a great boxing commentator.

[mjrbaseball]

On network, I always liked the smooth style of Jack Buck. Even Joe will admit he's not a tenth of the broadcaster his father was.

For football, I go with Verne Lundqist. So eloquent. (And he reminds me of Charlie Jones from the old AFL games on NBC.)

As for local baseball, as a Yankees fan it's hard to listen to or watch games these days. Dexter, like you, I grew up with Scooter, White and Frank Messer (how could you forget Messer?), so I have an affinity for them. In more recent years, however, I grew to admire Bobby Murcer. Actually, I think the best games ever broadcast on YES were when Kay and Singleton were off, and you just had Murcer with Jim Kaat. That was rare, but once in a while we were so blessed.

[NJTank]

Kay's biggest problem is he calls a game like he's still on the radio and he's painfully repetitive.

Ironically Yankees Radio man John Sterling acts like he is on TV.

" It is hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh it issssss faaaaaaaaaaaaaaar it is gonnnnnnnnnnnne and A-Bomb from A-rod, oops sorry it was caught it was caught at the wall. "

Way too much schtik for the radio and he is joined by Suzyn 'Oh my gawd Roger Clemens is in George Steinbrenner baahwx" Waldman who is the worst announcer ever.

Yankees on the radio is quite a painful but sometimes must listen to train wreck.

[RyanMcD29]

Hmm, good topic. Gonna be hard to pick some

Baseball: I have not been exposed to Vin Scully enough, so I apologize for not listing him. I'm gonna go local with Gary Cohen. The Mets SNY bunch is one of the best to watch a game with in baseball and they all live and breathe Mets as well as baseball. Howie Rose is great on WFAN as well. I guess nationally Bob Costas back in the day at NBC and occasionally these days at MLBN.

Basketball (Pro): Marv Albert. Easily one of the best in the business and a basketball icon on television

Basketball (College): GUS JOHNSON! Duh.

Football (Pro): I'm gonna go with Al Michaels. I also like most of what CBS brings out; Nantz is up there as long as he's not calling a Patriot or Colt game, Greg Gumbel's great, Dick Enberg's enjoyable (though I think he's just doing Padres games now), and Ian Eagle brings excitement. However, when I think "game of the week", I think Al Michaels. I guess it's mainly from him calling MNF through my childhood and then switching over to SNF, but I'll go with him as my favorite.

Football (College): Either Keith Jackson or Brent Musberger. Both have that big game feel and they do a great job of calling the action.

Hockey: Doc Emrick. Granted, there's some other very good ones on my list, like Rick Jeanneret, Dave Strader, Bob Cole back in the day, Jim Hughson, and again Howie Rose (still very good with the Islanders even if it doesn't match his Mets performance). However, Doc Emrick for me takes the cake. I was discussing this in the NBC/Versus deal thread, but the pure joy and excitement he has for hockey is unsurpassed. He makes you feel more engaged in the telecast and I'm glad he's getting his due by winning the Emmy for best sportscaster this year, as well as being the voice of American hockey these days.

[NJTank]

You know what makes SNY so good Gary Cohen is a good announcer, but Keith Hernandez is the king of cool and not beyond being critical of players on the Mets. He is a homer but he calls out players when they play bad.

[winghaz]

You know, gang, if we're going to rate the all-time greatest sportscasters and not just our favorites, we have to mention Red Barber and Mel Allen. I know most in here haven't heard them (some probably haven't heard of them), but they deserve some due in this chat.

[Shumway]

Count me in for Gary Thorne....I miss him for hockey (probably because I hate hearing terms like 'helter skelter' and 'and a drive!' every damn game on versus and NBC these days. I also love Thorne for Orioles games.

And while I'm not a Phillies' fan, Harry Kalas was the man. It's just not the same watching a game on TV anymore.

Can I throw Bobby Heenan and Gorilla Monsoon into this argument (because I did)?

[Rockstar Matt]

Why is Marv Albert getting so much love? The dude is sexist, a womanizer, and he bites women. Plus that dude is awful at calling basketball games. Says lazy one-liners over and over again.

The best broadcaster of all-time is one of the few, if not the only, broadcasters to have his microphone retired: Chick Hearn. His voice was basketball. I don't know if too many outside of the LA area ever got to hear him, but he was great. You could tell he obviously loved the Lakers when he was doing the play-by-play, but he had great respect for the game, including every team the Lakers faced. Nothing but praises for the opponents. Showed the utmost class. It's still not right watching/listening to Laker broadcasts without hearing his voice.

For football, I'd say it's a tie between Al Michaels, John Madden and Pat Summerall. Those three are the best by far in football. I don't really like Joe Buck. I'd prefer to hear Dick Stockton and Moose, over Joe Buck. Although, I like Troy Aikman, but that could be just because I'm a Cowboys fan Also, I like Mike Trico, and Tony Kornheiser (when he did Monday Nights). And Brad Sham.

For current day basketball, I like Mike Breen and Mike Trico. And, the Laker broadcasting crew.

[dfwabel]

I've always thought that Jon Miller and Joe Angel sound pretty much alike, moreso Angel sounds like a drunk version of Miller. I actually like Jon Miller.

Because they really DO sound very much alike. When Angel was the Marlins guy, I thought he was Miller.

On network, I always liked the smooth style of Jack Buck. Even Joe will admit he's not a tenth of the broadcaster his father was.

While those of us who heard his father, and remember his national days with CBS Baseball late in his career, he is still known to me as KMOX when I could get the feed. It was velvet smooth in hearing him and the two years I later spent in the STL was wonderful, especially since my folks provided me the opportunity to meet him before a game.

Joe is Joe and he will call the most Super Bowls and World Series in history due to his age, but is not that bad. He is cocky and the ads illustrate that FOX shows with him. He, like athletes, received major gigs at an early age, but it is kinda funny to me.

Count me in for Gary Thorne....I miss him for hockey (probably because I hate hearing terms like 'helter skelter' and 'and a drive!' every damn game on versus and NBC these days. I also love Thorne for Orioles games.

And while I'm not a Phillies' fan, Harry Kalas was the man. It's just not the same watching a game on TV anymore.

Can I throw Bobby Heenan and Gorilla Monsoon into this argument (because I did)?

Jim Ross and Tony Schiavone did call major sports, but Bill Mercer (WCCW), Ron Trongard (AWA) and Gordon Solie was much better than them all